3M History

3M was founded in 1902 in the city of Two Harbors, Minnesota, under the name of: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co, when five members decided to exploit a mineral deposit.
As the warehouse was with few benefits, the company moved to Duluth, Minnesota, dedicated to the production of sandpaper in an old mill. Several years passed before obtaining quality products and have a good logistics system.
In 1910 came new partners such as Lucius Ordway, who allowed to sit in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Through research and the incorporation of new products to market in 1916, 3M paid the first dividend, which corresponded to 6 cents per share.
In 1920 3M introduced the first waterproof sandpaper in the world, used in automotive manufacturing.
In 1925 a young engineer named Richard Drew developed the automotive masking tape masking tape, which allowed the cars were painted in two colors, such as imposing fashion.
In the following years, several products were developed for sealing boxes using cellophane, marketed under the trademark "Scotch ®".

The Scotch brand name came up when the painter of a car garage arrived a few days and angrily threw the sample who had offered him: "Here I return the tape to tell the 'clinging' to their heads (or heads Scotland: Scotch bosses) that put more glue on the tape. "
In the decade of the 40 continued to develop, "Scotchlite ®, retro-reflective material for signage and traffic control. What followed the tape sound recording and data filament for packaging tapes and offset plates.
In the 50's, 3M introduced the dry-copying process "Thermofax" stain resistant fabric protector "Scotchgard ®, the video tape, sponges" Scotch-Brite ®, and a wide variety of electromechanical products.
In the 60 products were introduced photographic, microfilm, decorative laminates, copier paper and overhead projectors. Also born the first products for the medical and dental.
In the 70's and 80's, was marked by the introduction of pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, digital sound recording, films for solar control, X-ray film and Trimax system for radiographic examination.

One of the spectacular moments of serendipity 3M was the "Post-it ® Note." In 1980 Arthur Fry, who spent nearly four decades of his life in the barracks from 3M, made a remarkable find. Actually, it was an accidental invention, as Fry took an adhesive that had created Spencer Silver, a 3M scientist, whose main characteristic was that it was sticky even after it had taken off.

3M's brands include Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Micropore, Stethoscopes Litmann, Nexcare, Petrifilm, Thinsulate and Scotch-Brite, is present in over 200 countries and more than 70,000 people working in it every day put to run their expertise, technologies and global strength to lead the markets in which it operates, some of which are Consumer and Office, Materials and Graphic Arts Exhibition; of Electrical Equipment and Telecommunications Services Safety and Protection, Care Health, Manufacturing and Industry and Transport.